Phil “Lefty” Mickelson is one of the most iconic golfers of our time. People often say he’s the opposite of Tiger Woods some even say that there are only two kinds of people.
They say you can be either a Phil or a Tiger kinda guy.
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Well today I don’t want to talk about this kind of fan rivalry but take a closer look at the free flowing swing of Phil Mickelson.
Phil is always praised for his outstanding short game (rightfully so). But it’s also his swing that led him to win the Masters Tournament three times (2010, 2006 and 2004) and the PGA Championship in 2005.
If you want a great example for perfect balance you don’t have to look any further. And if you are a left handed player you are a fan by definition anyways :)
Let’s take a look!
Address Position and Takeaway
[clearboth]Here we see Phil Mickelson how he’s addressing the ball by leaning away from it.
He has teed it up high and wants to hit upward on it.
With his takeaway you can already see how he’s starting to transfer weight from his right side to his left (don’t forget he’s a lefty).
His right knee is starting to fold. Although he’s leaning away from the target he keeps his upper body steady. He does not sway at all.
Backswing
At the turning point of his backswing, just before he’s transitioning into the downswing, Phil Mickelson is fully coiled.
His back is facing the target. His right knee is folded inwards with almost all of his weight on his left leg.
You can see the power that’s stored in this backswing. The club went past parallel and is pointing slightly to the left of the target.
The biggest thing to notice is that Phil is keeping his ballance all the time although he’s making such a big turn and transferring almost all of his weight.
You can see how he’s looking at the ball to help him staying steady with his upper body.
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Downswing and Impact
[clearboth] Take a closer look at the video once again and you’ll notice how Phil Mickelson is bringing the club down in a whip like fashion.
He’s keeping the angle he set with his wrists as long as possible before he lashes through the ball.
He’s really rotating and swinging in perfect balance which gives his swing the free flowing look.
Finish and Conclusion
[clearboth] During his finish Phil Mickelson is getting up out of is swing position and forms a slight reverse C shape.
He let’s his club travel around his body until it comes to rest on his back. He still has some of his weight on his backward foot due too his rotary motion and upward release.
Phil Mickelson makes it look so easy. Swinging in perfect balance:
- Focus on your own weight transfer. Do you start with your weight evenly distributed?
- Shift your weight while keeping your upper body steady. Don’t sway.
- Try to swing the club on its’ maximum path without loosing your balance – accelerating/whipping through the ball.
Proper balance and weight transfer is so important for a successful, repeating golf swing. No one shows that better than Phil Mickelson. Try to follow his example and swing easy but hit it hard. Go hit some!
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